The present application relates to a safety and control method for the lifting and/or transporting of a common load using a plurality of cranes. Up to now, such a lifting or transport process for large, heavy or complex loads, in which a plurality of cranes have to be used, has usually been carried out through a supervisor. In this process, each of the cranes involved is controlled by a crane operator, with the supervisor coordinating all the involved crane operators. This naturally produces a number of error potential factors, not least also because the individual crane operators do not have an overview of the total situation and because problems of understanding and communication can lead to errors. Such a process is also not very effective since the required coordination through the supervisor only allows very slow working.
Independently of the problems due to misunderstandings, however, the further problem is also produced that the safety systems of the individual cranes are not sufficient for such a common lift or transport of a load. This is primarily due to the fact that damage incidents at a crane such as an overload or a collision can be caused not only by the movement of the crane itself, but also by the movement of the other cranes. The known overload safety devices of the individual cranes, which only prevent movements of each individual crane which would damage that crane, cannot also take account of damage incidents at other cranes. The situation is the same with anti-collision systems which likewise only take account of the movements of the crane itself and at best permit static disturbance objects. The movement procedures with a plurality of cranes are also much more complex than with only one crane.